Insecticide dispenser



Aug. 26, 1941. w. H. c. NESS ETAL INsEcTIcIDE DISPENSER s sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 3f 1940 INVENTORS.

ATTORNY.

Aug. 26, 1941. W. H.' C, NESS ETAL 2,253,802

I l INSECTICIDE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/ A TTORNEY;

All@ 26, 1941- v w. H. c. NEss ETAL 2,253,802

INSECTICIDE DISPENSER Filed Aug. 3, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T l, j g.

Y Wm MM M TA/55, "17 lll/11111.

1N VENTORS Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSECTICIDE- DISPENSER William H. C. Nes-sand James F. Holmes, Los Angeles, Calif., assignors to National Cornice Works, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,905

' ing and some duplicative structure broken away.

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to insecticide dispensers, our principal object being to produce a dispenser which will give fast, thorough, uniform, accurately controlled distribution of insecticides for the control of thrips, aphis, scale, spider and numerous other pests that infest the various types of orchards .and crops. The accurately controlled distribution of the feeding material permits the operator to apply the correct dosage as speciiied by the entomologists.

It is also a main object of the invention to provide an insecticide dispenser wherein all the controls for distributing insecticides from either or :both sides; increasing or decreasing the velocity oi .air output; instantly setting the material feed control for equal and proper chemical dosage; automatically or hand operating the shtail ippers; raising or lowering the deflectors for uniform dosage and penetration amongst the foliage for either tall or short trees; are made immediately 4available to the operator at the rear of the unit.

It is a further object of the invention to pro-v vide a dispensing unit which is completely enclosed and streamlined to prevent injury to the trees.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a dispensing unitv with automatically operated shtail flipper. tting which` is interchangeable with .a special tube fitting for use in'directing the stream of insecticide in the desireddirection in. treating ornamental and tall trees, so .arranged that the operators maydust from either or both sides of the device.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention resides in the novel arrangement' and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment vof the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope ofthe invention which is claimed without departing vfrom the spirit thereof.

lIn the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein we show a preferred embodiment of our invention whichhas Vbeen reduced to practice and sanctioned by the trade- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus wherein our invention is embodied, some duplicative structure and a part of the metal shrouding being broken away in order thebetter to disclose underlying structure. In said view is partly shown a truck on which the device is conveyed.

Fig. 2 isa side elevation with the shroud hous- Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken through the flippers illustrating the means whereby the deflector shown in Fig. 4 is operated.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail partly in side elevation and partly in section, showing how the automatic action of the flippers may be changed to manual control. i y

Fig. 8 is a longitudinally extending vertical mid-section taken through the dosage hopper and parts immediately thereunder. A y

Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on line III-I0 o-f Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view of the rdosage control lever.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and speaking first of generalities, it will be seen we provide a steel base I supporting a specially constructed double inlet single width centrifugal blower 2 Iby means of a suitably constructed framework 3. To the blower is attached suitable framing materials or shapes constituting a frameworky 5 whereon is supported the hopper Ii for containing the insecticide material 'I.

In referring to the front and rear of the device, the rear will be designated as the side which is nearest the observer when viewing the apparatus perspectively shown in Fig. 1, hence the hopper may be said to be situated rearwardly and well toward the top of the device.

To the discharge end of the blower is detachably fastened the intake end of the-tunnel portion of a specially designed and constructed fishtail shaped fitting 8 directly beneath which tunnel por-tion, en the base -I, is mounted the power unit SI.Y VThe entire assembly is enclosed in a streamlined metalfshrouding I0 and is easily loaded upon the -bed of a motor ltruck II by which means the device is transported through the orchards. Y

Hopper is designed for a capacity ranging from .150' to 200 pounds depending upon the material being -handled. Said hopper is shown divided .into vertically spaced Vcompartments by meansrof the longitudinally extending horizon-A tally spaced apart metal shelves I2 and metal screen guard I3. In the bottom of the hopper subjacent the shelves YI2 are shown two identical .Openings I4, each of which isr controlled by a valve I5 through which the material is metered,

being considered miscellaneous conventional equipment, have been omitted from the drawings In the operation; considering a sulphur insecticide is being used for tree dusting, the material is fed from hopper 6 (Fig. 8) by lower agitator blades 30 (Fig. 9) carrying material under metal shelves I2 (Fig. 8), over metering valves I5 (Fig. 10), into tube I1 (Fig. 1); whence it is forced by air pressure from tube I6 (Fig. 1), taken off the scroll of the blower and forced through tube I1 to the intake of the blower 2, as shown. Simultaneously air is being entrained into the tube Il through the annular opening 3417 between .the spacers 34a at the juncture of the mouth of tting 34 with the underside of the hopper.

It will be noted only one tube I'I is shown, but provision is made for the use of two as indicated by the broken away duplicative structure whenever deemed necessary, in which case two streams of the insecticide will enter the blower.

In order that the correct amount of insecticide as prescribed by entomologists may be accurately dispensed, mechanism 32, 33, and 33a as described is provided for regulating the valves As the material is fed into the intake of the blower, as described, it is immediately picked up and thoroughly diffused with the air 'and discharged into the fishtail shaped tunnel fitting 8 bolted to the discharge end of the blower.

As stated, due to the peculiar design of this fitting, the velocity of air is continually increased from the time of leaving the blower discharge till finally discharged through the automatically controlled flippers 36. y

The rapid oscillation of these fiippers, which are hinged to permit free oscillation, causes the current of air delivered to agitate the foliage to such an extent that the insecticide clust is dusted uniformly on the entire surface of the leaves.

The peculiar contour of the outwardly directed wings ofthe shtail fitting permits of double row dusting, by removing pin `55 and operating the damper 50 (Fig 3) manually,to position 50a or Sub as described, a single row of trees to the right or left may be treated. l

Since the trees of various orchards vary in height, the lateral expulsion of the insecticide should be regulated vertically by means of the deiiectors 60 and 64 shown in Figs. 4, v5, and 6.

The entire unit is shrouded with a streamlined sheet metal covering I to prevent injury to fruit or trees as it is transported on the truck I I through the orchards, access panels being provided to permit servicing of all parts of the unit.

All controls of the unit are brought to the operators station at the rear. From this position he can control deflectors 60, 64 for height adjustment; adjust damper 50 for one or two row dusting; adjust feed valve mechanism 32, 33a for proper dosage; adjust speed of blower; disengage power plant fromr blower and, when occasion demands, manually operate the flippers 36, 36 by hand mechanism 45. Y

Owing to the unit, together with its power plant 9, being completely arranged on the sturdy base I, it is an easy matter to load it onto or remove it from the truck I I.

What is claimed is: I

1. A dispenser for treating rows of trees by expelling a powdered insecticide under a forced draft, consisting of a dispensing unit, apower unit for operating said dispensing unit, a commonbase-whereon said units are mounted,y said dispensing unit comprising a centrifugal f'blower 75 provided with a housing having an intake-and discharge opening, framework attached'to said base for supporting said blower, a shtail shaped tunnel fitting having the tunnel portion thereof detachably fastened tothe discharge side of said blower, a` hopper for containing a powdered insecticide, framework for supporting said hopper in a rearwardly elevated relation to said housing, a conduit having anintake andra discharge for conducting said insecticide from said hopper into said blower, said conduit having itsV discharge end opening into the intake of said blower and its intake end mounted in spaced relation to an opening in the floor of said hopper, means for graduating the flow of insecticide from said hopper tosaid conduit, means for by-passing a portion of the draft created by said blower from said housing into said'conduit at a point subjacent the opening in the iioor of said hopper whereby to augment the force of gravity and suction produced at the discharge end of said conduit by said blower in conducting said insecticide through said conduit into said blower, said fishtail shaped fitting comprising vertically extending fishtail. shaped wings provided with a vertically extending discharge slot running from top to bottom of each wing, said wings extendingrightwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel portion of said fitting, flippers pivotally mounted upon said wings at their extremities adjacent the discharge slot thereof, and means to operate said ippers.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and, vertically adjustable deectors mountedin said wings adjacent said discharge slot.

3. A dispenser for'treating rows of trees by expelling a powdered insecticide under a forced draft, consisting of a dispensing unit, a power unit for operating said dispensing unit, a common base to which said units are fastened,`a truck whereon said base together with its said units is mounted and from which said power unit and in turn said dispensing unit are operated, said dispensing unit comprising a centrifugal blower provided with a housing having an intake and a discharge opening, framework attached to said base for supporting said blower, a fishtail shaped tunnel fitting having the tunnel portion thereof detachably fastened to the discharge side of said blower, a hopper for containing a powdered insecticide, framework for supporting said hopper in a rearwardly elevated relation'to said housing, Va conduit having an intake and a discharge end for conducting said insecticide from said hopper into said blower, said conduit having its discharge end opening into said intake of said blower and its intake end mounted in spaced relation to an opening in the floor of said hopper, means for graduating the flow of insecticide fromsaid hopper to said conduit, means for by-passing a portion of the draft created by said blower from said housing into said conduit at a point subjacent to the opening in the floor of said hopper whereby to augment the force of gravity in conducting said insecticide through said conduit into said blower, said fishtail fitting comprising vertically extending flshtail shaped wings provided with a vertically extending discharge slot running vfrom top to bottom of each wing, said wings extending rightwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel portion of said fitting, -iiippers pivotally mounted upon said wings at their extremities adjacent each said slot thereof, vertically adjustable defiectors mounted in said wings, and means 'operatively related to said power Vunit tooperate automatically said flippers to agitate the of the trees being treated.

4. In a device of the kind described, a blower having a housing provided with an intake and a discharge, a hopper supported by said blower in an elevated relation to said intake, conduit means for conducting material from said hopper into the intake of said blower, and a by-pass conduit opening from the housing of said blower into said conduit to by high velocity air augment the gravity feed of said material from said hopper through said conduit means into the intake of said blower. Y

5. A streamlined sheet metal covered dispenser for treating rows of trees by expelling a powdered insecticide under a forced draft, consisting of a dispensing unit, a power unit for operating said dispensing unit, said dispensing unit comprising a centrifugal blower provided with a housing having an intake and discharge opening, a iishtail shaped tunnel tting havingthe tunnel portion thereof connected to the discharge side of said blower, a -hopper for containing a powdered insecticide, means for supporting said hopper in a juxtaposed relation to said housing, a conduit having an intake and a discharge end for conducting said insecticide from said hopper into said blower, said conduit having its discharge end opening into the intake of said blower and its intake end mounted in spaced relation to an opening in the floor of said hopper, means for by-passing a portion of the draft created by said blower from said housing into said conduit at a point subjacent to the opening in the oor of said hopper, said shtail shaped tunnel fitting comprising apertured wings extending rightwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel portion of said fitting, and means adjustable to deliver a draft of air from said blower vto said wings.

6. In a device of the kind described, a blower having a housing provided with an intake and a discharge, a hopper containing horizontally spaced apart shelves, said hopper being supportedY by said blower in an elevated relation to said intake, there being openings in the floor of said hopper subjacent said shelves, conduit means for conducting material from said hopper openings into the intake of said blower, a by-pass conduit opening from the housing of said blower into said conduit to by high velocity air augment the gravity feed of said material from said hopper through said conduit means into the intake of said blower, means to agitate the material in said hopper above said shelves, means to feed the material occupying the hopper between said shelves to said openings, and means for metering the quantity of material fed from said hopper through said openings into said conduit means.

7. In a device of the kind described, a Centriugal blower having a discharge end, a iishtail shaped tunnel iitting detachably fastened to said end, said tunnel having vertically extending shtail wings, means adjustable to deliver a draft of air from said blower to both or either of said wings, a. pair of flippers hinged to the outer edge portion of each said shtail wingsand vertically adjustable deflectors in said wings adjacent said flippers for controlling a current of air from said blower.

8. In a device of the kindy described, a centrifugal blower having an intake and a discharge, a hopper containing spaced apart shelves, means to support said hopper in a juxtaposed relation foliage to the intake end of said blower, there being openings in the floor of said hopper subjacent said shelves, means to feed material in said hopper to said openings, conduit means for conducting material discharged through said openings into the intake of said blower, and means for bypassing a portion of the yair created by said blower into said conduit means.

9. A dispenser consisting of a dispensing unit, a power unit for operating said dispensing unit, said dispensing unit comprising a centrifugal blower provided with a housing having an intake and discharge opening, a iishtail shaped tunnel fitting having the tunnel portion thereo-f connected to the discharge side of said blower, a hopper for containing a powdered insecticide, said hopper containing horizontally spaced apart shelves superjacent the floor of said hopper, there being openings in the floor of said hopper subjacent said shelves, means to agitate ithe material in said hopper above said shelves, means to feed the material in the hopper passing through the space between said shelves to and through said floor openings lying therebelow, means for supporting said hopper in a juxtaposed relation to said housing, a conduit having an intake and a discharge end for conducting said insecticide from said hopper into said blower, said conduit having its discharge end opening into the intake of said blower and its intake end mounted in spaced relation to the openings in the floor of said hopper, means for b-y-passing a portion o-f the draft created by said blower fromsaid housing into said conduit at a point subjacent to the openings in the oor of said hopper, said shtail shaped tunnel itting comprising apertured wings extending rightwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel portion of said fitting, and means adjustable to deliver a draft of air from said blower to said wings.

10. A dispenser for treating rows of trees by expelling a powdered insecticide under a forced draft, consisting of a dispensing unit, a power unit for operating said dispensing unit, a corn- Inon base to which said units are fastened, said dispensing unit comprising a centrifugal blower provided with va housing having an intake and discharge opening, framework attached to said base for supporting said blower, a shtail shaped tunnel tting having the tunnel portion thereof detachably fastened to the discharge side of said blower, a hopper for containing a powdered insecticide, framework for supporting said hopper in a rearwardly elevated relation to said housing, a conduit havingv an intake and a discharge end for conducting said insecticide from said hopper into said blower, said conduit having its discharge end opening into the intake of said blower and its intake end mounted in spaced relation to an opening in the floor of said hopper, means for graduating the flow of insecticide from said hopper to said conduit, means for by-passing a portion of the draft created by said blower from said housing into said conduit at a point subjacent to the opening in the floor of said hopper whereby to augment the force of gravity in conducting said insecticide through said conduit into said blower, said iishtail shaped fitting comprising vertically extending iishtail shaped Wings provided with a vertically extending discharge slot running from top to bottom of each wing, said Wings extending rightwardly and leftwardly from the tunnel portion of said fitting, ippers pivotally mounted upon said wings at their extremities adjacent said slot, vertically adjustable deiiectors mounted in said wings adjacent said discharge slot, means adjustable to deliver a draft of air from said blower to both or either of said wings, and means operatively related to said power unit to operate automatically said flippers to agitate the foliage of the trees being treated.

11. In a device of the kind described, a centrifugal blower having a discharge end, a ishtail shaped tunnel tting detachably fastened to said end, said tunnel having vertically extending shtail wings, means adjustable to deliver a draft of air from said blower to both for either of said wings, and a pair of flippers hinged to the outer edge portion of each said iishtail wing.

12. The subject matter of claim 11 and, means to operate said pairs of ippers in parallelism.

13. In a device of the kind described, a centrifugal blower having a discharge end, a fishtail shaped tunnel fitting fastened to said discharge end, said tunnel having vertically extending iishtail shaped wing ducts, a pair of flippers hinged to the outer edge portion of the sides of said wings forming each said duct, and means to operate in unison said flippers across the path of air delivered through said ducts.

14. In a device of the kind described, a blower having a housing provided with an intake and a discharge, a hopper supported by said blower in an elevated relation to said intake, means for conducting material from said hopper into the intake of said blower, and means for by-passing a portion of the air from the blower housing into the first said means to augment the feed of the material being delivered from said hopper into said blower intake.

15. In a device of the kind described, a blower having a housing provided with an intake and a discharge, a hopper containing horizontally spaced apart shelves, said hopper being support-v ed by said blower in an elevated relation to said intake, there being openings in the floor of said hopper subjacent said shelves, conduit means for conducting material from said hopper openings into the intake of said blower, means to agitate the. material in said hopper above said shelves, means to feed the material occupying the hopper between said shelves to said openings, and means for metering the quantity of material fed from said hopper through said openings into said conduit means.

16. In a device of the kind described, a centrifugal blower having an intake and a discharge, a hopper containing spaced apart shelves, means to support said hopper in a juxtaposed relation to the intake end of said blower, there being openings in the floor of said hopper subjacent said shelves, means to feed material in said hopper to said openings, and means for conducting material discharged through said openings into the intake of said blower.

17. In a device of the kind described, a centrifugal blower having a discharge end, a fishtail shaped tunnel fitting detachably fastened to said end, said tunnel having vertically extending fishtail wings, and a pair of flippers hinged to the outer edge portion of each said shtail wing.

WILLIAM I-I. C. NESS. JAMES F. HOLMES. 

